Florida Atlantic University

"My experience with Coach Alex Smolka was mixed. There were positive aspects to the coaching style, but I felt there were significant issues with team culture, communication, and how the distance groups were integrated. One of my biggest concerns was the handling of athletes’ personal information. There were instances where personal matters or information about other athletes were discussed in one-on-one meetings. This made me uncomfortable and raised concerns about confidentiality and professionalism. I also felt that favoritism could be an issue. Some athletes appeared to have a closer relationship with the coach, including spending time socially at his home, and this sometimes gave the impression that those athletes received different treatment or opportunities. Regardless of the intent, I think coaches at the college level should be especially careful about maintaining clear and professional boundaries with athletes. I think more intentional efforts to bring the groups together could have created a stronger and more unified team culture. From a competitive-development standpoint, I also would have liked to see more opportunities for athletes to compete in a wider variety of track meets. Having more meets that included different event groups and gave athletes opportunities to gain racing experience would have benefited the overall team. A greater emphasis on exposing athletes to different competitive environments could have made the program more well-rounded. Overall, I would encourage future athletes to consider the coaching style and team culture carefully when evaluating this program. Make sure the training philosophy, communication style, and team culture are a good fit for you. My main concerns were the sustainability of the training, the potential for burnout or injury, professionalism and confidentiality, perceived favoritism, the separation of athletes, and the limited integration of the full team. I believe the program could be improved through stronger confidentiality and professional boundaries, more consistent treatment of athletes, intentional integration of distance and sprint groups, and more varied competitive opportunities."

"This coach consistently played favorites, regardless of performance or effort, and failed to make fair, objective decisions that could have helped the team succeed. Despite poor results, he remained loyal only to a select group of players with whom he had personal relationships. Others were ignored, overlooked, and given no chance to prove themselves—whether in training or in matches. His communication was poor to nonexistent; players were rarely given feedback or told what they needed to do to earn minutes. This lack of transparency created a toxic and discouraging environment where many lost confidence and motivation. What’s most frustrating is that this coach has a history of success at other programs, yet he no longer shows that same level of professionalism or investment at FAU. The program is not held to the standard it deserves. He has clearly given up, and it shows in the way he treats players and manages the team. His behavior is immature, dismissive, and dishonest. I strongly encourage incoming players and their families to think carefully before committing to this program under its current coaching administration."

"Coach Joey trains you to be the best football player you can be!"

"Lara is a pathological liar. She will say something completely false to your face and manipulate you into believing it, or manipulate you into doing something that will benefit her, regardless of the consequences towards you. You cannot trust Lara, if you believe you are having a sensitive and vulnerable moment with her, she will turn around and use that information against you on the flip of a coin. She also doesn’t do any recruiting or set writing, and when it comes to her coaching she sits on the pool deck on her phone and lets the lesser paid assistant coach do her job for her. Her coaching comes down to her saying the same two things, tempo and kick, regardless of what the reality of the actual solution is. FAU will be better when she is gone. "

"Terrible. Screams at players. Calls them losers. Has no technical plan. Changes 70% of the team annually and all from Europe. Brings in terrible players. Encourages players to change majors to easy subjects like Physical Education so they can focus on soccer. "